The City of Arcadia has updated the Housing Element for the years 2021 to 2029. The Housing Element is a state-required policy document that plans for current and future housing needs within Arcadia. It identifies strategies for expanding housing opportunities and services for all household types and income groups and provides policy guidance for local decision-making related to housing.

On February 9, 2024 the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development determined that the City of Arcadia’s adopted Housing Element was in substantial compliance with State Housing Element Law following the City’s completion of required rezones as part of the Housing Element’s implementation actions. The certified Housing Element, Technical Background Report, and Implementation Plan may be reviewed below.

For a history of past Housing Element Update documents, including the Citywide Rezones, please refer to the tabs below. Learn more about the City’s housing efforts and get access to housing-related resources by visiting ArcadiaCA.gov/housing.

Housing Types - Definitions   Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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  • Certification Letter Department of Housing and Community Development (February 9, 2024)
  • Final Housing Element
  • Implementation Plan
  • Technical Background Report

On February 6, 2024, the Arcadia City Council, by a vote of 5-0, approved a Citywide rezoning effort related to the approved Housing Element Update. At this Public Hearing, the City Council considered General Plan Amendment GPA 23-02, Zone Change 23-03, and Text Amendment 23-02 (Citywide Rezones for the Housing Element Update).

The City of Arcadia adopted revisions to its Housing Element on February 15, 2022. This Update was for the State-required planning period of 2021-2029, often referred to as the 6th housing cycle. The proposed action includes changes to the City’s General Plan, Zoning Map, and Development Code to implement the approved Housing Element. The changes are summarized in the numbered list below, and please see subsequent links for detailed information on the proposal:

  1. Expand the Downtown Mixed Use Zone to properties east of 2nd and west of 5th Ave. and along Rolyn Place
  2. Add a Downtown Mixed Use Overlay zone over commercial-manufacturing properties along St. Joseph and La Porte Streets
  3. Increase the residential density allowed in the Mixed Use (MU) zone from 30 dwelling units/acre to 50 dwelling units/acre
  4. Add a “Residential Flex” Overlay Zone over portions of Live Oak Avenue, Las Tunas Drive, and the General Commercial (CG) zoned areas of the  City to allow residential projects in these locations.
  5. Increase the residential density allowed in the Multi-Family Residential (R3) zone from 30 dwelling units/acre to 40 dwelling units/acre

Please click on the links below for the Public Hearing Notices, the Zoning Map showing the required rezones described in the City’s Housing Element, General Plan Land Use Map showing the General Plan changes needed to effectuate the zone changes, Text Amendments to the Arcadia Development Code to implement the changes, and the associated environmental document (Addendum to the Negative Declaration for the Housing Element Update):

February 6, 2024 City Council Meeting:

Public Hearing Notice (February 6, 2024 City Council)

February 6, 2024 City Council Agenda Item

Implementation Actions:

January 23, 2024 Planning Commission Meeting
(Recommended Approval to the City Council):

Public Hearing Documents:

Environmental Documents:

Notice of Intent

Addendum to the Adopted Negative Declaration for the Housing Element Update.   (30-day public review from December 21, 2023 to January 22, 2024). Written comments on the Addendum to the Negative Declaration must be received no later than January 22, 2024.

Adopted Initial Study/Negative Declaration for the Housing Element 

Questions regarding the Citywide Rezones can be directed to:

Lisa Flores, Deputy Development Services Director

Planning@ArcadiaCA.gov
(626) 574-5423

On February 15, 2022, the City Council approved the Housing Element. Prior to that, the Element had been forwarded to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), for an initial review. Since the Council approval of the project, the City has received additional comments from HCD. The Draft Element has been updated to incorporate all the comments, including the related materials. We invite you to review the fourth revised Draft, dated October 13, 2022.

Letter from the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) 

Final Documents:

11/9/2022 Submission:

Fourth Revision to the Draft Housing Element (Red-lined versions)

The documents below have been revised based upon comments received from the State Housing and Community Development Department (HCD).

10/20/2022 Submission:

Draft Dated 10/13/2022

Third Revision to the Draft Housing Element (Red-lined versions)

The documents below have been revised based upon comments received from the State Housing and Community Development Department (HCD).

Second Revision to the Draft Housing Element (Red-lined versions)

The documents below have been revised based upon comments received from the State Housing and Community Development Department (HCD).

Public Hearing Information:

On February 15, 2022 the City Council voted unanimously to approve General Plan Amendment 21-02 with a Negative Declaration under the California Environmental Quality Act  (“CEQA”), updating the Housing Element for the 2021-2029 Housing Cycle. The Housing Element is currently pending certification from the State of California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD).

February 15, 2022 City Council Hearing:

January 25, 2022 Planning Commission Hearing:

As part of the City of Arcadia’s COVID-19 transmission mitigation efforts, the January 25, 2022 Planning Commission meeting was held virtually via Zoom and ACTV live stream to allow members of the public to observe and address the meeting virtually. The Planning Commission voted unanimously, with one Commissioner absent, to recommend approval of the Housing element Update to the City Council.

First Draft of the Housing Element (2021-2029) and the Initial Study/Negative Declaration:

  • Draft Initial Study/Negative Declaration (30-day public review from December 17, 2021 to January 19, 2022)
  • Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration
  • Notice of Completion and Environmental Document Transmittal - SCH No. 2021120424

Revised Draft Housing Element (Red-lined versions) – The documents below have been revised based upon comments received from the State Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). (CURRENT VERSION)

  • Draft Housing Element (12/29/2021)
  • Implementation Plan (12/29/2021)
  • Technical Background Report (12/29/2021)

ORIGINAL Submittal to HCD

Housing Element Update Virtual Community Workshop

The Housing Element Update Community Workshop took place virtually on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.. At this meeting, participants learned about the Housing Element Update process and the City’s progress to date, heard an overview of the community survey results, and learned about potential strategies to accommodate the new housing units required by the State through the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). The meeting was presented in English and Mandarin Chinese. A recording of the Workshop and a copy of the presentation are available below:

Workshop Video - English

Workshop Video - Chinese

Meeting Invitations

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View flyer
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View flyer - Chinese

Community Survey Summary

The City released a Community Survey related to the Housing Element Update on June 14, 2021 and over 700 responses were received. An initial summary of the survey results is available below. The survey results in their entirety will be included in the Draft Housing Element. 

Housing Element Update Community Survey Summary

What is the Housing Element?

The Housing Element is one of the 8 required Elements of the City’s General Plan. The General Plan establishes long-range planning and policy  in the City for land use and community design, economic development, circulation and infrastructure, resource sustainability, parks, recreation, and community resources, safety, noise, and housing. While the General Plan is a 25 year Plan, State law requires the Housing Element to be updated every eight years. The City is currently updating its Housing Element for the 2021-2029 period. A major component of this update is the 6th Cycle Regional Housing Needs Assessment ("RHNA"), in which the State estimates each region's housing needs for all income groups.  

Informational Video and Presentation 
Community outreach and participation is an important part of the Housing Element Update process. In an effort to keep the community informed, the City has prepared an outreach presentation, and informational videos by staff. To learn more about the Housing Element Update process, get a better understating of the RHNA process, and get informed about future opportunities for community participation, please view the videos below. The outreach presentation is available in English and Chinese at the links below. 

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Public Involvement

We want to hear from you! Relevant documents, public meeting notices, and other resources will be posted here, check back often.  Email us at Planning@ArcadiaCA.gov, or sign up using the form at the bottom of this page, if you would like to be added to our mailing list for information and updates regarding the Housing Element Update. 

What is RHNA?

The Regional Housing Needs Assessment ("RHNA") is a part of the State's housing element law that determines the projected and existing housing needs for each jurisdiction in the State.  In its Housing Element, the City must demonstrate to the State that there are no unnecessary barriers to the housing approval process in order to meet the RHNA allocation for the City.

On March 4, 2021, the Southern California Association of Governments ("SCAG") released its final draft allocation of housing units for each jurisdiction in its region, which can be found here. The City has received a final draft allocation of 3,214 new units for this upcoming planning period.  Additional information on RHNA can be found at SCAG and at California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

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The City of Arcadia has been allocated a RHNA of 3,214 total housing units with the following income breakdown:

  • 1,102 very-low income units;
  • 570 low income units;
  • 605 moderate income units; and
  • 937 above-moderate income units.
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Additional Documents
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Questions? Contact Us!

Do you have questions about the Housing Element? Do you want more information on ways you can participate? Please contact us below:

Development Services Department

Planning Services
(626) 574-5423
Planning@ArcadiaCA.gov

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